Tank filler spout cap



Patented Nov. 7, 19139 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE TANK FILLER SPOUT CAP I James M. Shoemaker, Hartford, Conn., assigner to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Application November 27, 1936, Serial No. 113,007

3 Claims.

member which will effectively seal the ller ,spout against leakage of liquid from the tank by the action of gravity upon the liquidwhich the tank contains even though the tank be inverted.

A further object resides in the provision of an improved closure member of the character specified which will reduce wear of the spout sealing r portion and compensate for such wear of the portion as does take place to thereby seal the tank against leakage over a. long period of use.

A still further object resides in the provision of an improved closure member `of the character specified which is easy to apply to and remove from the ller spout which' it closes which cannot beapplied in an incorrect mannerand which is arranged to be effectively locked upon the ller spout against the danger of accidental disassociation.

An additional object resides in the provision of an improved closure member of the character speciiied that-is light in weight, simple andeconomical to manufacture, and of such rugged construction that it will given an extended period of trouble-free service. l

Other objects and advantages will be more particularly pointed out hereinafter, or will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference` numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout, there is illustrated a suitable mechanical embodiment of what is now considered to be the preferred form of the idea of `the invention. 'Ihe drawing,however, is for the purpose of illustration only; and is not to be taken as limiting the invention, the scope of which is to be measured entirely by the scope of the` appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an improved ller-spout closure member, or tank cap constructed according to the idea`` of this invention.' Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of atank ller spout arranged for the reception of the improved closure member illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the closure member illustratedin elevation in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view' of a tank ller spout and a ller spout closure member orA tank cap, constructed according to the idea of this invention, applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral II! generally indicates the improved tank cap and the numeral I2 generally indicates the ller spout to which it is applied. If desired the tank cap, or closure member I0 may be permanently attached to the ller spout I2 by suitable means such as a length of chain I4, to prevent the accidental loss or displacement of the closure member. In the form of the invention illustrated, one end of the chain is secured by suitable means to the interior of the filler spout, and the opposite end is connected to the cap by the depending tang I6.

The improved closure cap comprises an upper cup-shaped member I8 provided with a periph-v eral ange 20 (a second cup-shaped member 22 coaxial with the member I8 and having its closed or partly closed end secured tothe inner surface of the disc portion of the member I8, and a third cup-shaped member 24 telescopically associated with the cup-shaped member 22.

ble chamber within which there is disposed al coiled compression spring 26. This spring bears at its upper end against the closed end of the inner cup-shaped member 22, and at its lower end rests in a seat 28 supported` upon a. hemispherical abutment 30 secured in the closed lower end of the outer cupi-shaped member 24. From this description it will be observed that the spring 26 tends to force the'telescopically associated cup-shaped members 22 and 24. apart Ain an axial direction.

The cup-shaped member 24 is provided at its open end with an loutwardly extending annular ilange 32 provided with achannel section to re- `ceive a sealing gasket 34, which rests upon the ber is operatively associated with the ller spout.

The flange portion 20 of the cap member I8 isprovided with inwardly extending detents 36 which-engage with the lower edge of an outwardly and downwardly turned ange 38` provided on the cap-receiving end of the ller spout I2.

From this description it will be observed that the action of the spring 26 tending to force the members 22 and 24 apart in an axial direction tends to decrease the distance between the gasket 34 and the detents 36, and as the detents 36 are -ilrmly held in position bythe lower edge of the iiange 38 the force of the spring is converted into pressure of the gasket 34 upon the end -of the ller spout I2. Theflangeportion 20 of the cap-member I6 -is provided with suitable indentations 40 which engage with the outvstrengthto support weight of the contents of the tank to which the Ier portion of the flange 32 of the cup-shaped member 24, when the detents 36 are removed from -the flange 38 to prevent disassociation of the members 22 and 24 by the action of the spring 26 when the closure member is removed from the ller spout.

The ange 38 on the end of the ller spout is provided with a cut-away portion or slot 42 through which the detents 36 may pass when the closure member is being associated with the filler spout. Leading from the slots 42, the flange 38 is provided with cam portions 44 terminating in indentations 46 disposed between the ends of the respective cam portions 44 and the respec-l tive stop members 48.

From this description it will be observed that when the closure member is inserted in the open end of the filler spout and rotated, the cam portions 44 will force the detents 36 and the gasket 34 apart to exert pressure between the gasket and the end of the filler spout. Rotation of the cap is limited by the stop members 48 and when the detents 36 have been rotated into contact with the stop members 48, they will drop intothe recesses 46 to thereby lock the closure member against accidental disassociation from the end 0f the filler spout.

The cap member I8 of the closure member is provided at the location of the diametrically opposed detents 36 with outwardly extended ears or finger members 50, by means of which a better grip may be obtained upon the closure member to rotate it into locked'position upon the filler spout. similarly located outwardly extending ears 52, which 'underlie the finger pieces 50 closure member is in operative association with the filler spout. These outwardly extending members 52 serve to indicate the locked position of the cap so that the cap can be readily secured in locked position upon the spout even in total darkness and incidentally serves to protect the overlying finger members Sil and may also be'used for the purpose of securing additional leverage when applying the closure member to the iiller spout.

The outer cup-shaped member 24 extends for an appreciable distance from the gasket 34 and is provided at its closed end with a rounded edge as indicated at 54 in order that this member may serve as a guide when the closure member is being inserted into" the open end of the filler spout. The outer cup shaped member 24 has a close fit in the open end of the spout I2, thus guiding the assembly Ill so that one of the detents 36 cannot engage the cam with the cap cocked or tilted so that the other detent doesV not engage.

The spring 26 is provided with suiiicient the member 54 against the filler spout l2 it attached, even though the tank is inverted and subjected to the action of centrifugal force; and, by reason of the pivogil bearing of the spring seat 28 upon the hemispherical abutment friction between the spring and the member 24 which might tend to wear the gasket is eliminated and the spring exerts an even pressure around the entire circumference of the gasket 34' to effectively seal the closure against leakage. Furthermore, because of the considerabledistance, when the closure member is in operative association with -the filler spout, between the detents 40 and the portion of the flange 32 with which the detents engage when the The filler spout is provided with a pair of when l the closure member is disassociated from the ller spout, the gasket 34 may be made thick and a large amount of wear of the gasket may take place before leakage will occur.

While v.there has been illustrated and described a particular mechanical embodiment of what is now considered to be the preferred form of the idea of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction soI illustrated and described, but'that such changes in the size, shape and arrangements of parts may be resorted to as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described the invention so that others skilled in the art may clearly understand the same, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a filler spout closure member, a pair o1' telescopically associated members adapted to be received in the open end of the filler spout and arranged upon relative movement in a separating direction to exert pressure upon the fluid seal between said ller spout and said closure member, a hanged cap member rigidly secured to the inner of `said telescopically associated members and having edge portions engaging said iiller spout to maintain said inner member in position in the end of said Afiller spo-ut, a gasket carrying ange on the outer of said telescopic members arranged toresliently urge said gasket into contact with the end of said filler spout, and a compression spring included within said telescopic members to exert a force in a direction tending to separate said members to thereby exert pressure upon said gasket.

closure member, a pair of telescopically associated cup-shaped members adapted 'to be inserted in the open end of thefiller spout, a cap member secured to the inner of said telescopically associated members and provided with edge portions adapted to engage the end of said filler spout to firmly secure said inner telescopic member in position in said filler spout, a flange on said outer telescopic member adapted to overlie the end of said filler spout, a gasket carried by said flange to contact the end of said filler spout, a spring included within said membersto exert a force in a direction tending to separate said members to apply pressure to said gasket, and a pivotal bearing between the associated end of said spring and the closed end of the outer of said telescopically associated cup-shaped members to equalize the pressure of said spring on said gasket.

2. In a filler spout 3. In a filler spout closure member, a pair 0f,l

telescopically associated cup-shaped members adapted to be inserted in the open end of the filler spout, a cap member secured to the inner of said telescopically associated members and provided with edge portions adaptcd to engage the end of said filler spout to firmly secure said inner telescopic member in position in said filler spout,

Aa flange on said outer telescopic member adapted to overlie the end of said filler spout, a gasket carried by said flange to contact the end of said filler. spout, and a spring included within said telescopically associated member to exert a force in a direction tending to separate said members and apply pressure to said gasket, the outer of lsaid telescopically associatedl members being formed as a guide to assist in inserting said closure member into said filler spout.

'JAMES SHOEMAKER 

